Rangefinder Chronicles Blog - Results from Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f1.5 on Leica M3 (Film!)

 

Nick DeMarco's Leica M3 and Nokton

Image Source: http://rangefinderchronicles.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-new-50mm-nokton-f15-vm-on-film.html

 

Rangefinder Chronicles is one of the many blogs I read regularly. Nick's forays into rangefinder (Leica and other) photography are usually quite interesting.

 

In a recent post, he shares a lot of gorgeous film images, shot on his Leica M3 and Voigtlander R3M, both with a new Voigtlander 50mm f1.5 Nokton. I'm impressed with the images.

 

The new f1.5 Nokton is styled after classic Noktons of the past. (Click Here) to read about this lens on cameraquest.com.

 

(Click Here) to see them all.

 

He shot with iso 100 film, in order to allow him to open the lens up all the way, exhibiting its strengths. As he says, why buy a super fast lens if you don't want to shoot wide open? Here's an example I particularly like, partially because it shows the lens performance at wide aperture, and partially because I like the subject (I do mean the cameras; not that the lady is unappealing):

 

Image Source: http://rangefinderchronicles.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-new-50mm-nokton-f15-vm-on-film.html

 

Nick tells us that he has a lot of 50mm lenses, including a Summicron f2 and Zeiss Sonnar f1.5. It's not clear to me what the Nokton does that the Sonnar does not. While both lenses are manufactured by Cosina, I imagine the optical designs to be different. It would be very interesting to see a comparison of the two lenses.

 

In any case, the Nokton does look like a winner. I love seeing it shot on vintage film bodies like the M3. Nice job, Nick!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Olympus OM-D and Voigtlander Nokton 25mm f0.95 by Candlelight

 

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/f57/sofia-candlelight-48627/

 

Last weekend on a trip to Florida, I shot Micro 4/3 again for the first time after a long break. I've let my Leica interests, as well as my Skeletons From The Closet project, consume my photographic opportunities. In Florida, I shot my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, essentially for the first time. I'll have a few shots to share, soon. Anyway, I think I will make that camera a priority at some level, too. Too many cameras, too little time.

 

Shooting the GX1 got me thinking about what others are doing with Micro 4/3 these days. I came across this post from nickthetasmaniac on mu-43:

 

(Click Here) to see other shots by nickthetasmaniac on mu-43.com

 

He made these images with the Olympus OM-D and Voigtlander 25mm f0.95 lens. I've never tried a lens faster than f1.2. It seems to me that Micro 4/3 is the right place to do that, as you don't rely on the accuracy of a rangefinder with that extremely shallow depth of field that f0.95 would provide.

 

Hope you find the images as interesting as I did.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

New Voigtlander 17.5mm f0.95 Micro 4/3 Lens

Cameraquest, United States distributor for Cosina (aka Voigtlander) is now taking deposits for a new native Micro 4/3 mount 17mm f0.95 (super fast!) lens.
(Click Here) to see it on Cameraquest's website.
 

Image Source:
http://www.thephoblographer.com/2012/02/06/voigtlander-announces-new-17-5mm-f0-95-lens-for-micro-four-thirds-35mm-equivalent/
 
At $1,249, you may want to make the $100 deposit, then get a loan for the remaining balance. Just kidding. This is a lens for people who love fast lenses (meaning it gathers a lot of light, and can basically take pictures in the dark). Those never come cheap. It is a manual focus lens.
 
At 17.5mm focal length, this lens will have an equivalent field of view that a 35mm focal length lens would on full-frame 35mm cameras. So, it makes me think of a Leica Summilux 35mm (which is an f1.4). The new Voigtlander lens gathers more than 2 times as much light, making it the fastest commercial 35mm equivalent lens I've ever seen.
 
(Click Here) to read a brief user review of the lens, used on a Lumix DMC-GH2, by Daisuki Photo. Note that the author used a 3X neutral density filter to bring the light levels down low enough to open the lens aperture up, very useful for this type of testing.
 
Also be sure to catch the author's note on how he likes the new Fuji XPro-1 versus his GH2. Interesting.
 
I have been thinking about trying a Voigtlander lens for Micro 4/3. They also have the Nokton 25mm f0.95 manual focus lens. But, I'm so happy with my Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4, which is has autofocus, that I just don't really need to look further. I use the Lumix 20mm f1.7 for a rough equivalent to 35mm, and am also pleased with it. So, I can't really see laying out this kind of money for a manual focus lens. They're both really specialty lenses in my opinion. If you really need that amazing light gathering capability, go for it. I don't think I do. I considered whether either would help my concert photography, which is normally pretty challenging light. But, manual focus would be a bigger disadvantage than the extra speed would be an advantage. In my opinion, of course.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com